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Packer Family (Maker)

A pair of handmade iron blacksmithing shears, known as 'tin snips'. They came from the forge in Uffington, Oxfordshire, where the donor's husband, Henry E. J. Packer, who retired circa 1970, was the third generation in the Packer family to work there. As blacksmiths usually make their own tools, it was likely that these shears were made at the forge.

1 pair of shears: metal [iron]

MERL 'Handwritten accession' form (Institute of Agricultural History) – 'Recorder: DJE // Date: 7.1.82 // Description: Hand made iron tin-snips // Dimensions: length 80 cms // Associated information: From the forge at Uffington.', Notes from interview with Mrs Packer, 1 December 1981 – ‘Uffington Forge // 3 generations of the Packer family worked in the forge at Uffington. The first was Henry Packer who came from Sparsholt. His son was John Becket Packer who gave his name to the business. His brother was a wheelwright. He died aged about eighty, and left the forge to this son, Henry Earnest [sic] John Packer, husband of the donor. He died in November 1981 aged seventy nine, but had retired around 1970. The business then closed down leaving Uffington without a blacksmith or farrier. // Henry E.J. Packer employed three to four men and they did a variety of work such as tractor and plough repairs involving welding, and wrought iron work as well as providing the service of farrier. In 1930 at the ‘Annual Farriery Competition, organised by Berks, Co. Co. [Berkshire County Council], Henry E.J. Packer won first prize. A year later at the Royal Counties Agricultural Society Show at Portsmouth, he won the ‘shoemaking novice’ prize. // Around 1969 Henry E.J. Packer donated three account books covering the period 1896–1903, 1925–1942 (Farm Record Coll. BER 39).’

Uffington [Oxfordshire]